Dear David,

I don't think you need to apologize for being branded with the term  'religious bully'.  My understanding of the meaning of this term is that it defines someone who utilizes religious concepts to browbeat another for the purpose of intimidating him to react  favorably to the bully's point of view. In my opinion, your accusers simply misapplied the term due to their frustration with your views and their inability to logically discredit them.

People sometimes misinterpret a person's words as a defense against their own preconceived or unsupportable positions and react with unjustifiable accusations. I'm sorry to say that I've done this myself on occasion, usually as a result of  my inadequate knowledge of the subject at hand. I would advise anyone responding to an opposing view to first find the holes in their own arguments.

However, we should expose the bully where he actually exists. There is a major difference between a strongly voiced opinion based on credible supporting documentation and strung-together unsubstantiated charges, intermingled with out-of-context scriptural quotes and hammered with derogatory statements, made in an attempt to, not only, advance a person's position, but also, to elevate his intellectual standing.

Take one example. A religious bully might quote the following statement and use it to intimidate a fellow Christian into withdrawing his support for George Bush: How can a born-again President speak favorably of Islam? Doesn't God say to disassociate oneself from unbelievers? He must be a liar. I'm telling you, you can't be a true Christian and vote for him.

"According to Muslim teachings, God first revealed His word in the Holy Qur'an to the prophet, Muhammad, during the month of Ramadan. That word has guided billions of believers across the centuries, and those believers built a culture of learning and literature and science. All the world continues to benefit from this faith and its achievements." - George Bush 12/13/01

But, re-read the above quote carefully. I challenge anyone to find  it false. Begin with 'According to Muslim teachings'. It means: the Muslims say that.....   Now read the second sentence. This is a historically true statement. Now, what's wrong with the last sentence? Muslim scientists and scholars made significant contributions to the subjects of chemistry, physics, mathematics, and medicine among others. Finally, adhering to our Constitution, our President must respect all religions. What exactly was he suppose to say to a group of American Muslims?

Usually, thinking people quickly recognize and discredit  'religious bullying'. But many times, especially when this bullying is done by persons who have some favorable credentials - perhaps a 'pastor'- lending them an aura of authority, we tend to discern incorrectly and accept their views at face value. In these 'end times', I think this is a mistake. We need to remind ourselves that there are many false prophets walking among us carrying information to our 'itching ears'.

Blessings
Marie Komar